Fraud Solicitors: Fraud Defence Specialists
Our Fraud Solicitors are specialists in assisting individuals or businesses accused of committing fraud, having successfully defended a wide range of fraud allegations since 1998. Our extensive experience ensures you’ll receive the best-possible advice.
We understand a fraud investigation can be stressful and confusing. Our Fraud Solicitors are here to provide you with advice every step of the way. We’ll liaise with the police, HMRC or other authorities on your behalf, and advise you on what to say, if anything, should you be asked for an interview.
Call our Fraud Lawyers today if you have been accused of committing crimes under the Fraud Act 2006 and need expert advice and representation.
How can our fraud solicitors help?
Whatever you have been accused of, we pride ourselves on helping clients every step of the way.
Our team will help you throughout the process, including:
- Providing you with assistance in relation to dawn raids
- Preparing you for an interview with the authorities
- Challenging the authorities on search warrants and restraining orders
- Securing bail on your behalf
- Thoroughly preparing your defence for a trail
- Successfully defending you in court
Our Fraud Lawyers are perfectly positioned to provide you with the assistance you need following accusations of fraud or other financial crimes. With a reputation built on excellence, quality and skill, we have a proven track record of helping hundreds of clients accused of committing fraud in the most complex of cases.
If you're want the best-possible chance of a successful outcome after being accused of fraud, call us today.
Specialist expertise in defending all types of fraud offences.
Our Specialist Fraud Defence Team
Lawyers for fraud defence
Our Fraud Solicitors help people accused of a wide range of financial crimes, including civil fraud and complex business crimes.
We specialise in the following three areas in particular:
Serious high value fraud
High value fraud cases are often high profile due to both the seriousness of the crime and the amount of money involved in the case. Serious High Value Fraud is the act of deception for personal gain involving substantial amounts of money, often related to investment fraud such as share scams and pyramid schemes, corporate fraud including asset stripping and fraudulent trading.
Investment fraud
Investment fraud can come in a number of different forms, usually promising a high return on investment. If you have been accused of fraud of any nature, it is essential that you seek advice from a legal specialist as soon as possible in order to prepare a robust defence for your case. Our knowledgeable and experienced investment fraud solicitors know how to approach complex cases such as these, and we will work hard to gain the best possible result for you.
Tax evasion
Tax evasion is the act of illegally avoiding taxes by misrepresenting your finances to the HM Revenue Customs (HMRC). This crime can be carried out by an individual or a business in a number of ways. Whether you have been unfairly accused of tax evasion, have overlooked information that should have been supplied to HMRC or taken your eye off the ball when it comes to your accounts and investments, perhaps entrusting them to others, legal advice is imperative to ensure that you are treated fairly throughout the investigation.
Other types of fraud offences we specialise in
Alongside this, our Fraud Lawyers also defend individuals accused of:
Mortgage fraud
Mortgage fraud usually involves either falsifying information on an application, such as misrepresenting income for example, to obtain a mortgage you would not otherwise be eligible for, or increasing the apparent value of the property so that larger loans can be secured against properties of lower value. If you are under investigation, contact our specialist mortgage fraud solicitors for advice today.
Benefit fraud
It is a criminal offence to obtain more benefit money from the government than you are entitled to. Our team has helped people accused of benefit fraud since 1998. We have a thorough knowledge of the investigation process, allowing us to provide you with best-in-class advice and support.
Counterfeiting and forgery
If you are found guilty of counterfeiting or forgery then you will be charged with the crime of fraud. Allegations of such crimes are taken extremely seriously under UK law and can include a custodial sentence of up to 10 years as well as substantial fines.
Insurance fraud
Being accused of insurance fraud is a serious situation. If you or your business are facing such allegations, it is crucial you obtain legal advice before taking any further steps. Allegations of insurance fraud can be particularly damaging to your reputation and as cases can be highly complex, expert advice is essential.
Identity fraud
Identify fraud is when an imposter dishonestly uses the identity of another person or organisation to benefit themselves (or others), and/or cause a loss for the victim.
Bribery and corruption
Bribery refers to a specific offence that involves the practice of offering something - usually money - in order to gain an illicit advantage. Corruption is the abuse of a position of trust in order to gain an advantage. We have a wealth of experience advising in investigations and prosecutions relating to crimes of this nature, so if you are under investigation, are facing prosecution or have been charged with fraud offences involving bribery and corruption, you should contact Draycott Browne immediately.
VAT fraud
VAT fraud investigations can be particularly disruptive for businesses due to the detailed nature of the investigations. Company and personal reputations are also put at risk, making the situation particularly stressful for business owners and their loved ones. Our VAT Fraud Solicitors provide advice in some of the most complex cases around and have the experience and knowledge required to provide you with the best defence possible.
Bank fraud
Bank fraud is using dishonest and potentially illegal methods to obtain money or assets from either a bank or its customers. Due to the complexities of the banking system, bank fraud can take various different forms. As all situations are different, it is important you seek legal advice as soon as possible if you are being investigated.
Credit card fraud
For over 20 years, Draycott Browne has been successfully guiding and defending clients in serious and high value fraud cases. Our credit card fraud solicitors are skilled and experienced at handling highly complex cases, and we will robustly challenge the evidence against you.
Insider trading
Trading stocks, bonds or stock options of a public company based on ‘inside information’ which could have a significant impact on the stocks or securities of that company if it was made public, is potentially a serious offence which could result in severe penalties including a lengthy prison sentence. If you are under investigation for insider trading, contact our specialist defence lawyers for advice today.
Pension fraud
Pension fraud usually occurs in one of two ways: Either because an employer has acted fraudulently in the providing of pension benefits or payments or due to a scam aimed at stealing a person’s pension fund. We have a strong track record for defending allegations of pension fraud and work with forensic accountants, IT specialists and financial industry experts to help build compelling evidence and documentation to strongly defend charges of this kind.
MTIC and carousel fraud
Carousel fraud and MTIC are methods to sell goods with VAT added to the price, and then keep the VAT charged instead of paying it to the government as required. If you have been accused of committing MTIC or Carousel fraud, our specialist team of criminal defence solicitors are here to help you build a successful defence which gives you the best-possible chance of a positive outcome.
Money laundering
Generally considered a separate offence to fraid, money laundering and fraud are often linked. For example, someone who has committed fraud may attempt to launder the proceeds of their crime in order to avoid detection and prosecution.
Liverpool's Longest Fraud Trial
26 October 2018
In the longest fraud trial Liverpool's Crown Court has seen, Rob Mann of Draycott Browne conducted the successful representation of former Conservative councillor David Richard Barton. A not guilty verdict was returned after 137 days of trial allowing David to finally put his life back on track.
Specialist Fraud Defence Lawyers
- 24/7 Availability
- Proven Success in High Profile Cases
- Non-Judgemental Representation Tailored to Your Situation
Protect your future with trusted, expert legal defence—contact Draycott Browne’s Fraud Solicitors today.
What is fraud?
Fraud is an intentional deception carried out for personal gain or to cause harm to others. This can include identity theft, credit card fraud, internet scams, and many other forms of fraudulent activity.
In addition to being a criminal offence, fraud can also result in civil lawsuits and regulatory actions.
Fraud is defined by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) as an act of deception intended for personal gain or to cause loss to somebody else.
The act of fraud can take many forms, from low value, high-volume offences such as card skimming, to complex frauds such as share scams which result in losses of millions of pounds for the victims.
Some of the most common types of fraud include:
- Phone scams: typically, phone scams consist of calling someone claiming to be from a legitimate, well known organisation with the objective of tricking them into handing over their bank details, calling premium-rate phone numbers or installing malicious software onto their computer.
- Card skimming: a crime which is becoming more common every year, in which an individual uses a device to obtain the card details of victims for their own personal use.
- Investment scams: investment scams are one of the most common high value fraud offences, and often target older individuals with access to their pension. Perpetrators of investment scams contact people via phone, email or social media offering unusually high returns on any investments made.
- Ticketing scams: as buying tickets for events online has become more commonplace, so ticketing scams have increased in popularity. Individuals will set up websites which appear official to sell fake or non-existent tickets for popular events.
Fraud is now the most common crime committed in the UK, with a 2017 Experian study suggesting the country loses over £190 billion per year due to fraud. In the same year, cases of fraud hit a 15-year high.
As a result of this, fraud has become a high-profile crime, with a lot of focus being placed on prosecuting convicted individuals and the potential punishments being severe. If you have been accused of committing fraud, seeking legal advice from specialist Fraud Defence Solicitors is vital.
What are the penalties for fraud?
Different types of fraud carry different penalties ranging from community orders to large fines and prison terms up to 10 years. The thought of a custodial sentence can be extremely stressful for anyone facing allegations of fraud, and those accused of it may never have faced criminal charges before.
The severity of the punishment handed out is determined by several deciding factors, such as:
- Whether the act of fraud was part of a planned and premeditated operation, or an opportunistic act by an individual.
- The damage done to the victim in terms of financial loss, credit rating and overall impact.
- The length of time the fraud continued.
- If there has been an attempt to conceal or dispose of any evidence.
- The judge will also take into consideration any factors beyond financial loss, that may have an impact. For example, where money has been generated fraudulently to fund large-scale organised crime that targets vulnerable people, such as the supply of drugs or human trafficking.
Mitigating factors during fraud sentencing
Fraud sentencing takes account of numerous factors, all of which may reduce the penalty given out by the Judge. These include
- Cooperation with the authorities
- If the money has been given back voluntarily
- Evidence that suggests someone stopped offending before they were caught
When should you seek legal advice?
Contact our Fraud Lawyers immediately if you:
- Have been informed that you are under investigation
- Have been asked to speak to the authorities
- Are facing a prosecution
- Have been charged with fraud
Defending against fraud charges can be complex, and requires an experienced attorney with a deep understanding of both criminal law and the specific type of fraud involved.
Possible defence strategies include challenging the sufficiency of the evidence, arguing that the defendant did not have the intent to commit fraud, or asserting that the defendant was coerced or manipulated into committing the fraud.
By seeking advice from the very start, your case is more likely to be successful. We recommend speaking to a legal advisor from the moment you are informed you are under investigation. However, we will provide advice and representation at any point during your case.
Related Areas
Contact our Fraud Defence Lawyers
Draycott Browne's team of lawyers for fraud is nationally regarded across the legal profession and recognised as experts across all matters of fraud, whether alleged against an individual, a business or company officers.
Our Fraud Defence Specialists possess a breadth of knowledge that is unrivaled in the industry and we take great pride in our dedication and professionalism.
As one of the UK's leading Criminal Defence Law Firms, we are relentless in the pursuit of achieving the best result possible for all of our clients and will continuously work hard on your behalf with an attention to detail and tenacity that is second to none.
Our Fraud Solicitors have practised within this area of law for over 25 years. Their experience and expertise in even the most complex and sophisticated Fraud cases means you’ll have the best possible chance of a successful outcome to the challenge you are facing.
Draycott Browne is one of the UK's top criminal law firms. Our Criminal Defence Lawyers regularly provide specialist criminal defence representation in fraud cases to clients in Manchester, Liverpool and London.
We offer our services to clients throughout the whole of England and Wales. When facing serious consequences, trust in Draycott Browne. You cannot afford to settle for anything less. Call our fraud defence team today.